Repeater strike mechanisms are exceptional timepieces, as regards their large number of components and the care and time required for fabrication and assembly operations. Striking mechanism complications have been known since at least the XVIII century, but have only been the subject of a limited number of publications between 1763 and the middle of the XX century. The reference work best known to the practitioner of complications, in particular grand strikes and repeaters, to which reference will be made to avoid overloading the presentation of the invention, is the work “Les montres compliquées” (Complicated watches) by François Lecoultre and edited by Editions Horlogères in Bienne.
Often, the space available inside complicated timepieces, in particular watches, is such that it is not possible to duplicate certain functions, in particular acoustic functions, inside the case, and a choice therefore has to be made between acoustic and/or musical functions.
More specifically, the alarm function is a separate complication from the grand strike or minute repeater complications.
FR Patent No 455 174 A, in the name of BORDONI GUGGERI, discloses an alarm mechanism which includes a device automatically striking the hours and quarters with hour and quarter repeaters. It includes a toothed sector and a rack, replacing the hour snail, and elastically connected to a strike wheel. The toothed sector moves forward by one tooth when the mechanism prepares the hour strike for the next blow, and the forward movement is produced by stopping the rack on the periphery and by lowering the arbour thereof. There is a pause between the hour strike and the quarter strike owing to a transmission ratio selected to give an additional strike, which is stopped by a bent lever releasing the quarter hammer.
CH Patent Application No. 252 169A in the name of PAILLARD discloses a timing device including an operating member which can tip, held in two positions by a spring, and an activating member which, after a time determined by the position of an adjusting member, causes the operating member to tip from one of its two positions to the other.
EP Patent No. 1798 610 A1 in the name of MONTRES BREGUET SA discloses a striking mechanism with a single click achieved by removing the click used for manually controlling the release of the striking mechanism.
EP Patent No. 1 760 545 A1 in the name of MONTRES JOURNE SA discloses a striking timepiece with a single barrel, with a safety device for stopping and locking the striking mechanisms when the barrel power reserve is low.
EP Patent No. 2 246 753 A2 in the name of FRANK MULLER WATCHLAND SA discloses a striking timepiece for locking a repeater while the time is being set.